| While I have tried to be accurate I do not claim that every entry below is correct and welcome any additions/changes/corrections which you can confirm. Click here to submit them. |
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| 1900 | In the USA,Berkshire Knitting Mills and Textile Machine Works were formed in Reading, Berkshire County, |
| 1947 | Ulster Knitting Mills Factory opened in Northern Ireland at Crawfordsburn Road, Newtownards |
| 1948 | Ulster Knitting Mills transferred to a large elevated site at Donaghadee Road , Newtownards. Products sold though the Donbros Knitwear outlets. |
| 1955 | Mr Alex Fetherson is appointed Managing Director of Berkshire Knitting (Ulster) Ltd |
| 1957 | A new Office Block added to the front of the factory |
| 1957 | Production commences of Seamfree Hosiery. 474 Needle Scott & Williams machines. |
| 1958 | Article in The Spectator. Employment level 750 (430 men) |
| A second factory, of 30,000 square feet, was built at Dundonald, near Belfast. Production of Poodle tights, by Ulster Hosiery Limited, transfer from Newtownards to Dundonald. |
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| 1962 | Donbros sales arrangement terminated. New direct UK sales Team formed. |
| 1963 | Employee level had increased to 1,000 |
| 1964 | Company changed name from Berkshire Knitting Mills to Berkshire International |
| 1964 | 21 Gauge Fully fashioned Knitwear Division commences. |
| 1966 | Production of Seamfree Tights commenced |
| 1966 | IBM Computer, one of the very first of its kind, installed and the Office was re-organised. Brian Andrews headed up the Computer System.. |
| 1966 | The Berkshire Group's 3rd International Conference is hosted for the first time in Northern Ireland, at the Culloden Hotel. |
| 1968 | Vanity Fair acquired Berkshire and its overseas companies |
| 1967 | Fully fashioned hosiery production ceased. Ulster Hosiery Limited, a subsidiary of Berkshire International (U.K.) Ltd was formed in October |
| 1969 | Vanity Fair acquired H.D.Lee,jeans and leisurewear manufacturers, having already acquired Berkshire and its overseas companies |
| 1971 | The Knitwear Division faced a serious market recession |
| 1972 | Bomb Squad Search Team |
| 1972 | Ulster Hosiery ceases at Dundonald. Sadly,Howard Ward , Managing Director, suffered a fatal heart attack. |
| 1973 | A large extension was made to the Dundonald factory |
| 1973 | Knitwear moved from Comber Road,Newtownards to Dundonald |
| 1975 | 57,000 square feet rented at Comber Road, Newtownards for Jeans production. |
| 1977 | A new Distribution Centre of 40,000 square feet was opened at Jubilee Road, Newtownards |
| 1977 | The local company Blaxnit, manufacturer of socks, was adopted into the Berkshire premises and management. |
| 1977 | Further expansion of Lee Jeans to a new plant in Londonderry; and then in Ardee, Co Louth in the Republic of Ireland. This was the last expansion and the slow-down of all Vanity Fair operations in Northern Ireland. |
| 1979 | Mr Alex Fetherston retired as Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive of VF Corporation (U.K.) Ltd.Formerly Berkshire International. At the Presentation Lunch Martin Campbell, Hosiery Plant Manager, paid tribute to Mr Fetherston, who was accompanied by his wife. At a later date tributes were paid by the Board of the parent company in America by their Vice President,the President of the International Division and the VIce President, Europe. |
| 1979 | The Berkshire Reading Mill, USA, was terminated and replaced by a huge Outlet Store. |
| 1980 |
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| 1982 | VF Corporation transfer ownership to create a new company "Berkshire Hosiery (U.K.) Ltd. The new Management is Reg Lawrie, Eric Lowry, joint MD's. Harry Keenan, Manufacturing DIrector: Brian Mackey, Sock Sales Director. Margaret Mathews, Commercial Director. Hosiery Division includes the names Berkshire, Blaxnit, Poodle. proprietors and Directors. |
| 1982 | The hosiery range was relaunched with new heavy denier products added to widen the appeal of the collection. Berkshire Ladies socks and heavy knit tights, and children’s tights under the Poodle Bunny Hugs label were introduced. |
| 1983 | Fashion trends and major changes in the British market were adversely affecting the sales of branded ladies fine denier hosiery. Sales team was strengthened by the recruitment of Rick Wildgust and Judy Rodgers. Kymen Sukka of Finland took a share in the business in the mid 80’s to assist product development of the sock ranges and support the company’s efforts to secure greater market share of the emerging market for Ladies socks. |
| 1984 | Berkshire continued to focus primarily on the branded market sector, offering its expertise in design and the service of a sales team, to provide a quality product supported by prompt delivery from the factory. However, the company also supplied some of the pioneers in the ‘customer label’ market. |
| 1988 | By 1988, a large percentage of females had taken to wearing trousers or decided to go barelegged during the summer months. The result was consumers buying fewer tights and stockings and with shrinking sales of hosiery right across Europe, there was rationalisation of the manufacturing base. Italian, Portugese, and Turkish manufacturers also started to penetrate the UK market, a sign of things to come from countries with lower manufacturing costs. |
| 1989 | Another buy-out took place by Glamar Group Ltd. Glamar Group, under Chairman Stephen Barker purchase Berkshire Hosiery as part of their strategy to bring together branded hosiery manufacturers from UK, France and Spain; to dominate the sector and create a sleeker and more cost efficient business. Glamar saw potential to exploit the market awareness for Berkshire brand hosiery and reward the loyalty of its stockists and customers by re-launching the brand. Investment was also made in new knitting machines and especially ancillary equipment. Employment at Donaghadee Road was around 350 at the time of the take over –split 50/50 between fine denier hosiery and socks. This number was to fall to 300 in 90/1 as the fine denier business came under greater market pressures. David Manning appointed as Managing Director. John Monteith appointed as Financial Director. Alan Cotton appointed Sales and Marketing Director. Roger Sellors as Production Director. |
| 1992 | Seamfree Knitting ceased Glamar had changed its name to Hartstone in 1990. The group had expanded its business through the acquisition of hosiery manufacturers and distributors from across Europe, and leather goods companies in Europe, the US and Hong Kong. Effectively, the acquisition of Aznar of Spain in late1991, and Cogetex, France. |
| 1992 | Hartstone is Europe’s second largest hosiery manufacturing and distribution company. However, although group profits touched £22million in the year ending March 1992, only £4.8 came from hosiery, and a review of activity revealed an aggressive strategy was required to counteract the effects of declining market demand and squeezed margins. By April 1992 a total of 160 people were made redundant at the Donaghadee road plant, when production of ladies hosiery was transferred outside Northern Ireland to another factory with in the group. |
| 2004 | The original Berkshire premises were demolished and set aside for retail/industrial development. |